


Healing is the Best Way to Start

by Tamasha



Series: Built to Fall [1]
Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Doctors & Physicians, Elevators, First Dates, First Meetings, Fluff, Gay, Implied/Referenced Self-Harm, Love, M/M, Modern Era, Names, Relationship(s), Romance, Short & Sweet, Therapy
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-07-06
Updated: 2016-07-06
Packaged: 2018-07-21 21:28:04
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 782
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7405513
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Tamasha/pseuds/Tamasha
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Merlin is leaving his therapist appointment and lost in his own world when a very attractive man tries to start a conversation. Merlin is not at all interested, but the blond stranger is very persistent!</p>
            </blockquote>





	Healing is the Best Way to Start

**Author's Note:**

> written by Tamara

Merlin stepped onto the elevator, rubbing his wrists. They were all but healed now, though the doctor insisted on seeing him once a week to talk about his feelings. It wasn't very reasonable. Merlin didn’t have many  _ feelings _ to talk about, that was mostly the problem. He just felt numb and achy and -

“Which floor?”

Merlin almost hadn't noticed the handsome blond in the elevator next to him. He was fit, too. Extremely fit. How had Merlin not noticed him walking into this very small space? But that was happening more and more now… Merlin took little notice of anything in his life. He got lost in his mind more often than he'd care to admit.

“Excuse me, sir? Are you going up or down?”

What, was this man an elevator operator or something? Merlin could press his own button, thank you very much; he didn’t need everyone babying him all the time. He lived with his two best friends, Lance and Gwen, and ever since they found out about his depression they have treated him as if he were going to break. It was infuriating. He just wanted some damn independence.

“Suit yourself.”

Merlin realized he hadn't actually said anything since walking onto the elevator at the doctor's office. Was he coming or going from his appointment? Going. Definitely going. They had talked about his father's death and how that affected him as a small child, which the doctor seemed to think was whole lot. Merlin, however, couldn't care less. Honestly, he hated therapy.

“So, just riding the elevator for fun then?”

Merlin cursed himself again. The blond was still trying to talk to him.

“Going down,” Merlin muttered. “Going home.”

“Me too,” the man piped, seeming to decide that now that Merlin had spoken to him, that was consent to engage him in further conversation. “I'm Arthur. I'm a doctor here. What's your name?”

“Just had to throw in that you were a doctor, didn’t you?” Merlin asked, doing his best to refrain from bursting into laughter.

The man shifted uncomfortably. “Right. I'm trying to work on being less arrogant. My sister says that it's a flaw of mine.”

“Mhm.”

There was a long silence till the elevator finally opened up to the lobby.

“So, no name either? You just ride on elevators for fun and don't have a name?”

“I'm the elevator ghost, actually,” Merlin said simply as he walked out the door.

The man caught the door just before it shut and jogged to catch up to Merlin. “Okay, fine, no name, then. Why don't you let me buy you dinner so I can spend the evening trying to guess it?”

A date? No. What? Not with Merlin. Why?

“No thanks.”

“Not even one drink? Come on, I am a doctor, after all.”

Merlin really wanted to say no. Or laugh. Or something. The last thing in the world he expected to say was: “Okay. Sure. Why not? You won't guess my name. It's very unusual.”

“Okay, Jerry. Let’s go now.”

“Now?” Merlin bellowed.

“Yeah, Scott. It will be fun.”

Merlin frowned.

“Am I even close?”

“No.”

“Linda?”

Merlin had to laugh again. And he had to admit, he was beginning to not-hate this guy, and that was a rare thing nowadays. Nowadays, Merlin hated pretty much everything.

“Okay. Arthur, was it?”

“Yeah.”

“Alright, Arthur. Let’s go on this date. But no more stupid names. My name is Merlin.”

“Merlin?” Arthur asked, incredulously. “I thought you said no more stupid names?”

Merlin pushed Arthur playfully and began to storm off. He wasn't thrilled by this guy, after all. Truthfully, he was quite annoying and arrogant, his sister must have been right about that. Really, Merlin was not fond of this prat. So why was he smiling and slowing his pace for Arthur to catch up?

“I was kidding. Merlin is a beautiful name. Will you please go on a date with me, Merlin?”

This was idiotic. Truly idiotic.

He turned to face Arthur and got a glimpse of the way the sun caught his golden hair. Absolutely gorgeous. “Yeah, okay. Let's go. But you’re driving.”

Arthur winked. “Yeah. Sounds good. Let's go, Preston.”

“Preston!” Merlin cried. “That's awful!”

They both laughed as they walked to Arthur’s car.

So, maybe therapy wasn't all bad. And not all doctors treated Merlin as if he would break if you said one tiny thing wrong and upset him. No one teased him like this anymore. It was nice to feel normal. It was nice to feel accepted. It was nice to feel.

Merlin could learn to like this Arthur fellow.

Hell. He could learn to feel much more for him…

Who knows?

**Author's Note:**

> This is how I had pictured Arthur and Merlin meeting in this universe. Sorry it took so long to write; I had this in my head for a while. I hope you enjoyed it. If you haven't read the others in the series, please check them out. As always, comments are appreciated.


End file.
